Automatic damper-regulator for boiler-furnaces.



No. 688,!78. Patented Dec. 3, |90I.

W. A. KENDRICK.

AUTUMATIC DAMPER REGULATOR F05' BOILER FURN-AGES.

(Application led Oct. 25, 1899.) (N o M o d e I .2

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 688,!78. Patented Dec. 3, |90l. W.'A; KENDRICK.

AUTOMATIC DMPER REGULATOR FOB BUILER FURNACES.

- (Application led Oct. 25, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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THE Normas PETERS co, PvsroL-Tuo. wAsmNomN n c` No. 688MBvl Piafi;nted Dec. 3, I90l.

W. A. KENDRICK.

AUTOMATIC DAMPER REGULATOR FR Boll-ER: URNACES.

Appnation med oct. 25, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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l UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM A. KENDRICIL OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMATIC DAMPER-REGULATOR FOR BOILER-FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,178, dated December 3, 1901- Application filed October 25, 1899.

T0 @ZZ whom it 77th/,y concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A.. KENDEIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at W'ashington, in the District of Columbia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Damper-Regulators for Boiler- Furnaces, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to an automatic damper-regulator for boiler-furnaces, and is in the nature of an improvement on the regulator for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the 5th day of May, 1896, and numbered 559,715. In said Letters Patent I show and describe a Huid-pressure motor, a reliefvalve actuated by a diaphragm subject to the pressure of'the boiler and controlling the supply-pipe of the motor, and mechanism actuated by the motor and operating to open and close the furnace-damper, the construction and arrangement being such that when the pressure of steam in the boiler exceeds a determined pressure the damper is closed and held closed until the pressure of the steam falls below the determined limit, whereupon the damper is opened and held open until the pressure of the steam again reaches normal pressure. In said regulator the pressure of the boiler is relied upon to hold the reliefvalve open, so that the motor will not be actuated by the Huid-pressure employed for operating it, and if such fluid-pressure be the steam from the boiler itself then in starting up the fire in the furnace there will be no pressure to operate the motor, and hence the damper must be opened by hand and held open by extraneous or auxiliary means until the steam in the boiler has reached the working pressure. It is one object of the present invention to alter this arrangement in such manner that the relief-valve will normally remain open, so that no pressure will be on the motor, and hence the damper will normally stand open, only closing when the pressure of the steam reaches working pressure. By such an arrangement the boilerpressure may be employed as the Huidpressure for actuating the motor and the damper will remain open When no pressure or but slight pressure is on the boiler, as in starting up the furnace-iire.

The present invention has for its further Serial No. 734.745. (No model.)

object to greatly simplify the regulator and increase its efficiency and to lessen its cost of manufacture and render its operation more certain.

To these ends my invention consists in the features and in the construction, combination, and arrangeinentof parts hereinafter described, and particularly defined in the claims following the description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication,\vherei1i- Figure l is a vertical sectional View of my improved regulator. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a View in elevation of the regulator, illustrating a spring in place of the weighted lever shown in Fig. l for loading the diaphragm. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of the relief-valve. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the relief-valve bushing removed and illustrating the cross-sectional shape of the valve-stein. Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of a boiler, showing my improved regulator applied thereto and illustrating the operation of the dampers.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l indicates a pipe leading from the steam-space of a boiler and communicating at its upper end with the diaphragm-casing, consisting of a saucer-shaped disk 2, on which is arranged a centrally-apertured plate 3. Between the disk 2 and plate 3 is disposed a flexible diaphragm 4, which is secured steam-tight between said disk and plate by bolts 5. Superposcd upon the diaphragm 4 and bolted., riveted, or otherwise suitably secured thereto is a metallic cap 6, centrally provided with a conical or pointed teat or projection 7 for the purposehereinaftermadeapparent. Thecap 6 preferably covers nearly the entire surface of the diaphragm lying beneath the central opening in the plate 3 and acts as a guard or shield for the diaphragm, equalizing the pressure on the latter and strengthening the same. An annular flange 8 is cast integrally'with the plate 3 and surrounds the central opening therein, said flange forming a cup and also serving as a support for the relief-valve. As most clearly shown in Fig. 2, the cup 8 is covered over the greater portion of its upper end by a partition or cover 9, an opening lO being provided for the insertion of the yoke presently to be described. Cast integrally with IOO the top or cover 9 of the cup is a valve-casing 11, having two oppositely-alrranged lateral ports 12 and 13 communicating. with the interior of the casing, an 'inlet-pipe 14 being fitted in the port 12, and a pipe 15 leading from the port 13 to the motor. Screwed in the under side of the valve-casing 11 is a cylindrical bushing or valve-seat 16, in which is guided the stem 17 of the relief-valve 18.' The-stem 17 is square in cross-section, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5, whereby it accuratelyguides the valve in a right line in its vertical movement and at the same time permits the passage of fluid through the bushing or valveseat when the valve is open. The valve 18 is provided with a conical shoulder 19, that is adapted to seat against the lower edge of the bushing or valve-seat 18 and close the passage therethrough.

Resting upon the cap 6 on the diaphragm is a U-shaped yoke 20, that projects through the opening 10 in the cap or cover 9, and at its lower.end is countersunk to fit over and rest upon the pointed teat or projection 7 on the cap 6. A bolt or pin 2l passes through the upper end of the yoke and loosely fits in a socket 22, bored or cast in the upper end of the valve-casing 11. The lower end of the valve 18 rests on the upper side of the lower member of the yoke, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and is supported thereby. The yoke 2O is thus permitted to have a slight vertical movement with the diaphragm 4 to open and close the valve 18, and such movement is limited in an upward direction by the valve and in a downward direction by a Washer 23, arranged over the pin 2l and between the valve-casing and the upper member of the yoke. By using washers of different thicknesses the vertical movement of the yoke may be regulated. Cast integrally with the top 9 of the valve-casing is an upright projection 24, having an eye 25, in which is fulcrumed one end of a lever 26. Said lever rests on a knife-edge 27, formed on the head of the pin 2l, and adjustably arranged on said lever is a sleeve 28,' from which is suspended a rod 29, carrying weights 30. The weight of the lever is sustained by the yoke 20 and by the latter is transferred to the diaphragm. By shifting the position of the sleeve 28 on the lever or by alteringthe number of Weights on the rod 29 the weight on the diaphragm y'may be adjusted to correspond to any given pressure of steam that may be desired in the boiler. A standard 31 is bolted to the plate A3 and at its upper end is bifurcated, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. The lever 26 works in the bifurcated end of the standard and is arrested inits downward movement by a setscrew 32, tapped through a cross-brace 33 of r'the standard. When the pressure in the boiler falls very low, the lever rests on the set-screw and ceases to exert any weight or pressure on the yoke, and thus prevents the weight of the lever and yoke from forciblyl .pressing on the diaphragm at a time when no pressure is beneath the latter to sustain it, thereby preventing injury to the diaphragm. By adjusting the set-screw 32 the point at which the lever is arrested is regulated.

Bolted to the plate 3 is an upright cylinder 34, in which is arranged a piston 35, carryying a piston-rod 36, projecting through the top of the cylinder. Fixed on the piston-rod is a collar 37, on which are supported weights 38 to force down the piston when pressure is removed from beneath the latter. The pipe 15,leadng from the valve-casing 1l, is tapped into the lower end of the cylinder 34, and a pipe 39 leads from the upper end of the cylinder to the cup 8, into which latter it discharges. A waste-pipe 40 leads from said cup and serves to convey off the water to any suitable point. l

A valve 41 is arranged in the supply-pipe 14, by means of which the supply of water to the regulator'is regulated.

The upper end of the piston-rod 36 is connected by a chain or other connection with the furnace-damper in Aany suitable or wellknown manner and may also be connected to the furnace draft-door-as, for example, in manner similar to that shown and described in my aforesaid Letters Patent.

In Fig. 6V of the drawings I have shown the piston-rod 36 connected by a chain 42 to an arm 43 on the spindle of a damper 44, arranged in the uptake-flue 45 of the furnace, and said chain is also connected to the furnace draft-door 45, the arrangement being such that the damper and furnace-door open and close in unison. The chain, however, may be unattached to the furnace-door and other means for operating the damper may be provided, this part of the device forming no part of the present invention. the operation of my improved regulator I will refer to the piston, for the sake of brevity, as being connected to the damper 44 only, it being understood that if the furnace-door be connected to said damper, as shown in Fig. 6, it will open and close with the damper.

The operation of the device constructed and arranged as above described is as follows: The supply-pipe 14 is connected to any suitable source of water-supply-such as a street-main, tank, or the boiler itself-and the valve 41 is adjusted so that only a limited volume of water is permitted to flow therepast in a given time. The pipe 1 is connected with the steam-space of the boiler, the diaphragm being thus subjected to boiler-pressure on its undery side equal to the steampressure in the boiler. Let it be assumed that it is desired to maintain a uniform pressure in the boiler of, say, fifty pounds. The weights on the lever 2G then will be adj usted to exert a pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm very slightly in excess of fifty pounds. As long as the pressure of the steam in the boiler remains at or below fifty pounds the lever will hold the diaphragm down and the valve 18 open and the water entering by In describing IIO the pipe 14 will escape past the valve into the cup 8 and be conveyed from the latter by the pipe 40. .Under these conditions there will be no pressure beneath the piston 35, and hence the latter will remain at t-he lower end of the cylinder and hold the damper open to promote combustion in the boiler-furnace. The moment the pressure in the boiler rises above fifty pounds the diaphragm lifts the yoke and lever and closes the valve, and the water then being unable to escape past the valve passes through the pipe 15 to the lower end of the cylinder and raises the piston, thus closing the damper and holding it closed until the pressure in the boiler again falls to fifty pounds, when the relief-valve will again open and permit the water to escape from the cylinder by the pipe 15 into the cup, the piston 'will drop, opening the damper, and the water flowing from the pipe 14 will escape past the valve until the boiler-pressure again rises. The pipe 39 serves to convey any water that may escape above the piston by leakage to the cup. NVhen a suitable supply of water for the regulator cannot conveniently be had, the pipe 14 maybe connected directly to the boiler, and in order to prevent the water or steam from entering the motorin a hot state I prolongate, coil, or otherwise lengthen the pipe 15 or make it in the form of a reservoir, as described in my said former Letters Patent, so that the water beneath the piston or between the piston and the relief-valve is kept cool, thereby preventing it from injuriously affecting the piston-packing, and by arranging the water-inlet to the motor at a point beneath the relief-valve the water is trapped between said valve and motor and prevented from escaping from the latter by gravity when the motor is in a state of rest.

Instead of adjusting the regulator to different boiler-pressures by means of a lever, as above described, I may employ a spring for the purpose, as shown in Fig. 3. lVhen constructed in this manner, two uprights 42 and a cross-bar 43 are cast integrally with the cup 8, and tapped through the cross-bar 43 is a set-screw 44, provided with a hand-wheel 45. A stiff coiled spring 46 is arranged between the yoke 20 and the adjusting-screw 44 and has tted in its opposite end caps 47 and 48. The adjusting-screw bears against the cap 47, while the cap 4S rests on the head of the pin 21 in the upper part of the yoke. By turning the adjusting-screw 44 the tension of the spring 46 may be adjusted to exert a pressure on the yoke and through the latteron the diaphragm to balance any desired pressure exerted by the steam in the boiler. In all other respects the construction and operation of the regulator are identically the same as that before described.

I have described my invention as being employed for opening and closing a furnacedamper; but it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that it may with equal success be employed for controlling valves and mechanisms of various kinds-sucl1,f0r example, as regulating the action of the pump in an elevator plant.

Having described lmy invention, what I claim isl. In a damper-regulator, the combination with a Huid-pressure motor for operating the damper, of a constantly-open fluid-supply pipe in communication with the motor,a valvecasinginterposed in said supply-pipe between the motor and the source of supplyand having a normally open relief-port in its under side which operates to discharge the iuidsupply before it reaches the motor, a valve for controlling said relief-port, a diaphragm subject to a working pressure, a support resting on the diaphragm and forming a rest for the valve, and means for forcing said support downward against the pressure of the diaphragm to normally hold the valve open, substantially as described.

2. In a damper-regulator, the combination with a fluid-pressure motor for operating the damper, of a constantly-open Huid-supply pipein communication with the motor,avalve casing interposed in said supply-pipe between the motor and source of supply and having a normally open relief-portin its under side which operates to discharge the fluid-supply before it reaches the motor, a diaphragm subject to a working pressure, ayoke supported on said diaphragm, a valve supported on said yoke beneath the valve-casing and arranged to control the relief-port, and means for eX- erting an adjustable downward pressure on said yoke to normally hold the valve open against the upward pressure of the diaphragm, substantially as described.

3. In a damper-regulator, the combination with a fluid-pressure motor for operating the damper, of a constantly-open Huid-supply pipe in communication with the motor,aValve casing,interposed in said su pply-pi pe between the motor and the source of supply and having a normally open relief-port in its under side which operates to discharge the fluidsupply before it reaches the motor, a diaphragm subject to a workin g pressure,a valvesupport resting on said diaphragm, a valve resting on said support beneath the valvecasing and arranged to control the reliefport, and means adjustable at will for forcing said valve downward against the pressure ofthe diaphragm to permit said valve to drop and open the relief-port, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the casing and the diaphragm 4 fitted therein,of a cup 8 disposed over the diaphragm and having an outlet, a valve-casing arranged on the cup, a valve controlling an outlet to said casing, a iiuidpressnre motor, a pipe leading from a source of fluid-supply to said valve-casing and from the casing to the motor, and means supported by the diaphragm for actuating the valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the casing and the IOO IIO

diaphragm 4 fitted therein, of the cup S disdiaphragm 4 tted therein, of the cup S disposed over the diaphragm, a valve-casing arranged on the top of said cup, a valve controlling l.an outlet from the casing, a yoke resting on the diaphragm and supporting said valve,a weighted leverbearin g upon the yoke, a fluid-pressure motor, a pipe leading from a source of Huid-supply to said casing and from the casing to the motor, and means for limit ing the movement of the lever, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the casing and the diaphragm 4, of the cup 8 disposed over the diaphragm, a valve-casing formed on top of said cup, a bushing 16 fitted in an outlet to said casing, a valve 18 for closing said outlet, a yoke y2O seated on the diaphragm and supporting said valve, a fluid-pressure motor, a pipe leading from a source of fluid-supply to said valve-casing and from the latter to the motor,'and means for imposing an adjustable pressure upon the diaphragm, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a diaphragm subject to a Working pressure, of a duid-motor 34, a valve-casing 11, a pipe leading from a source of Huid-supply to said casing and from the casing to the motor, a valve 18 controlling an outlet to said casing a yoke 20 seated on the said diaphragm and supporting said valve, a pin 21 loosely connecting said yoke to the valve-casing, and a weighted lever 26 bearing upon said pin, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a diaphragm subject to a working pressure, of a duid-motor 34, a valve-casing 1l, a pipe leading from a source of supply to said casing and from the casing to the motor, a valve 1S controlling an outlet to said casing, a yoke 20 seated on the said diaphragm and supporting the valve, a weighted lever 26 for depressing said yoke, and means for limiting the movement of said lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W. A. KENDRICK.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REA, F. B. KEEFER. 

